Users of communications services are increasingly accessing media content over data communications networks, like the Internet, through content service providers (e.g., media aggregator websites), web portals, games, and/or other user interfaces. Even television interfaces commonly include interactive electronic program guide interfaces that can facilitate access to linear, on-demand, and locally-stored media content. Media content providers can use these interfaces and various marketing and incentive techniques to help users find and access desirable content, thereby increasing profitability, advertising opportunities, etc.
This increasing demand for media content also yields an increased demand for bandwidth resources of the underlying communications infrastructures. In some cases, communications service providers attempt to combat ever-increasing demands on their networks through increased prices, resource throttling, limitations on service offerings, etc. However, it can be preferable in other cases to better utilize available resources to satisfy the increasing demands. For example, bandwidth resources can often be more fully utilized through time- and/or demand-shifting techniques.